A Cypress resident, Patrick Tran, was sentenced on Apr. 20 to 45 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to the exploitation of minors, according to Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Tran admitted on Oct. 25, 2025, to four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen imposed a sentence totaling 540 months in prison.
During the sentencing hearing, the court heard that Tran had contacted at least 23 minor victims over more than ten years using video chat sites and online profiles. He persuaded them to undress on camera and recorded these sessions without their consent before using the videos as leverage for further explicit material by threatening exposure or harm if they did not comply.
One victim told the court that Tran "made her feel like an object – one he abused physically and mentally without even touching her." She also disclosed contemplating suicide as she saw it as her only escape from what she described as a nightmare.
In addition to his prison term, Tran was ordered to pay over $108,000 in restitution and will be subject to lifetime supervised release with strict conditions restricting his access to children and internet use. He must also register as a sex offender upon release.
The investigation began in October 2020 when suspicious communications were reported by a relative indicating that Tran had directed a minor victim to send nude photos. Forensic analysis revealed chats where he solicited photos and videos under threat of posting existing material unless additional images were provided.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Tran’s home, seizing electronic devices containing approximately 650 videos depicting minors—some under age ten—in sexually explicit conduct.
The FBI’s Houston office conducted the investigation with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Ann Leo and Luis Batarse as part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 targeting child sexual exploitation cases through coordinated federal, state, and local efforts.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas has included notable figures such as Alamdar Hamdani and Ryan Patrick among its former leaders according to the official history page. The office operates locations across Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville as described on its official website.
Serving under the Attorney General within the Department of Justice according to its official website, this office employs more than 200 attorneys covering legal matters across over nine million residents in forty-three counties as detailed online. Its primary focus is prosecuting federal crimes and managing civil litigation involving government interests according to its official website.
Leadership at this office has included Alamdar Hamdani serving from 2022 through early-2025 as noted on its history page.
